Don't let the sleepless night steal your beauty
by AAluminium
Summary: Is it possible to feel lonely having such a wonderful crew? It is. But is there a person, truly understanding you?..


It was a usual quiet evening, so peaceful that even the sound of the waves caressing the keel of the Thousand Sunny was comforting. The dark blue velvet of the sky was spangled with brightly shining diamonds – stars, somewhat collecting around the lantern – the moon itself. Nature seemed to breathe calmly; its existence appeared to be something essential, integral – and the young man, standing near the railings of the Sunny, now was able to appreciate every single detail of the scenery lying in front of him.

A thin cigarette, held between his pale fingers, was slightly trembling. Although Sanji felt happy being around his friends, he clearly understood there was something he might have missed. He knew he needed something else – but he wasn't sure what it could be, especially having such a great crew, taking care of each member of it. Sanji had a reverie, friends, family – although it was left to travel far away, – and adventures he had dreamt of. What else did he need? Why wasn't it enough to be happy?..

A soft rustling sound of somebody's steps broke his speculation. He turned his head to the noise to see a red-haired girl, dressed in a tortoise top and blue shorts made of light textiles – Nami hated usual pyjamas, thinking them to be uncomfortable and old-fashioned.

"Why aren't you sleeping, Nami-san?" asked Sanji, placing the cigarette between his lips. He turned back to face the sea and leaned against the railings.

"Zoro's snoring too loud to let others sleep", she chuckled in a friendly way. The peaceful night must have influenced on Nami's usual mood.

"Do you want me to teach him a lesson?"

She quietly shook her head and stood next to him, inhaling the salty air. Sanji glanced at her, that time not paying too much attention to the way she looked: he wasn't in the mood to fuss over her and behave like a fool, but automatically he noticed she was similar to those figures of ancient goddesses often situated on bowsprits.

"Sanji", she muttered faintly, "Have you ever felt lonely?"

He nodded and exhaled the smoke. "Why ask, Nami-san?"

"Not there," ignoring his question, she made a large gesture as if to show she meant other places he had been, "I mean here, with us. Having Luffy, Zoro… Travelling, taking risks, facing enemies, getting in jeopardy?"

Sanji was at a loss. He couldn't recognize Nami: she was always obsessed with the idea of getting as much money as possible, and she had never been so mushy before – at least he couldn't remember her being maudlin. "I guess I do feel lonely at times", he responded calmly, taking a long drag on the cigarette. "But it goes away quickly", he hurried to say in order not to offend Nami.

She rolled her eyes, annoyed. "Sanji, don't be such an idiot. You know what I'm talking about."

He frowned, sighing slightly. Well, those words let him make sure Nami felt better than she appeared to at first. "I'm sorry, but I do not".

Now it was her turn to be surprised: talking to her this way was so untypical of him, that she cocked an eyebrow. "Are you all right? Should I call Chopper to give you a full check-up? A thorough examination would do you good".

He didn't respond. Her mocking voice died out and she intently stared at his pale face, unusually concentrated. Nami's lopsided smirk immediately disappeared – a strange idea struck her, and the girl asked almost in a whisper, "Are you feeling lonely _now_?"

Sanji shrugged and took another long drag on his cigarette. He doubted if she was able to understand the way he was thinking about the whole global problem of happiness, loneliness and friendship, so he decided to stay silent, not wanting to discuss such a topic. He extinguished the cigarette and dropped the stub into the water. The cook was going to leave the deck and have a nap in his cabin, but the redhead stopped him forthwith. "Sanji, answer my question", she said quietly, grabbing him by the lapels of his suit. "Please".

"Yes. I am feeling unheeded or unneeded." he sighed and carefully touched her hands, trying to loosen her grip. "It's time to sleep now, Nami-san. Sleepless nights don't make a lady more beautiful".

Instead of answering, the navigator let her arms slide to his neck and wrap around it, bringing her slim body closer to his, solid enough to be some kind of a brick wall for her. She tiptoed, and – all of a sudden – planted a gentle kiss upon his thin lips.

He didn't expect to be given a liplock, but unlike his usual self, he put his hands on her sides, caressing them up and down, returning the kiss twice as softly. Any other day he would go crazy knowing something like this was going to happen, but tonight… tonight was a magic evening, full of surprises and mysteries.

And the second surprise was Nami's tug on his sleeve which soon dragged him to the empty cabin where they used to keep food and other products. "One night, okay?.. I know what can cure us both…" she kept whispering, removing her clothes and taking off his shirt not caring about the buttons. She was so desperate in her search for the remedy for the loneliness, that she couldn't think straight. Sanji carefully stopped her hands and kissed her fingers, not wanting it all to be dirty and vulgar; he wasn't sure if he was in love with her, but still… he didn't want her to avoid his presence. She mustn't be ashamed.

His narrow hands slid down across her back, he brought her closer. "Promise me not to elude me in the morning," he muttered in her ear, grazing his lips against her smooth cool skin, "I won't tell anybody about this. You have my word". When the girl nodded eagerly, he gently pushed her against the wall, exploring her collar bones and chest with his lips, tickling her skin with the hot breaths escaping his mouth. Closing her eyes, feebly moaning his name, she was running her fingers through his thick hair, asking for more. Sanji fulfilled her wish: being on alert, he couldn't suppress his emotions and feelings for her, burning him from the inside, and, not waiting any longer, he entered her.

Nami gave out a faint moan and immediately bit her lip, trembling with anticipation. Although Sanji wasn't her first man, she was afraid of feeling pain, but that didn't happen: the only thing she managed to get was pure pleasure of his butterfly kisses, hands roaming across her skin, deep and teasing thrusts. He was bringing her to true paradise by tenderly squeezing her hip while lifting her leg and letting it wrap around his waist, by whispering some silly things into her ear, by kissing her neck. "S-sanji", she managed to blurt out and caught his lips with hers, following his pace and scratching his back with her nails – automatically, without realizing it.

The cook was also close to his climax: he couldn't remember any girl who was as desirable as Nami, and finally she was here, with him, enjoying his caresses and moaning pinned underneath him in this terrible small cabin! Of course he wanted more for her, but he couldn't give it – the only thing he was able to do was to be her man in all the possible ways, and if she needed it like this – he was to do it without complaining. Feeling her tremble more, he lifted the girl up slightly, increasing the pace to reach the unbearable bliss they were so eager to get…

Not to wake up the other members of the crew, the girl had to nuzzle into his shoulder to muffle a loud groan escaping her throat. His hands, examining her sweaty skin, squeezed her waist for some moments and then loosened the grip. Her lips, bitten and tumescent at the kisses, slid across his neck and left a bright bruise – a hickey – the mark showing he belonged to her.

"Nami-swan-"

"Nami", she interrupted him and kissed the corner of his lips. "I found what I was looking for", she confessed, caressing his back with both her hands, not wanting to let him go. "Will you be mine? Not as a friend, not as a lover-"

"I will", Sanji responded not waiting for the end of the sentence and nuzzled into her blushing cheek. "Time to sleep. You can't let sleepless night steal your beauty".


End file.
